7.18.2012

I stuck pieces of plastic and metal together at an Evanston, Ill., assembly line. We produced photocopiers for a company called American Photocopy.

I hated the work. It was hot and boring. But it was useful. It taught me to get good grades in school so I might have other choices.

...

I write about this because I’m appalled watching politicians kill off “first” jobs. (They say it’s to protect us.)

First, they raise the minimum wage. Forcing employers to pay $7.25 an hour leaves them reluctant to give unskilled kids a chance—why pay more than a worker can produce? So they offer fewer “first” jobs.

Comment: My first job was working at a greenhouse making $ 1. per hour. I started in the Spring of 1967. That summer I worked 54 hours a week ... 6 days X 9 hours and made $ 54 hours a week.

What did I do?

I boxed plants into flats and carried them and loaded them into a delivery truck

I mulched plants with manure

I blended potting soil: dirt, manure, and some other stuff in a large grinder / blower

I walked along side of a bush hog and picked up rocks / sticks ahead of it

I repaired greenhouse glass

I bulked up, muscled up and tanned up. I sweated a lot!

There were no sick days, PTO, or vacation days!

The seminal events:

A childhood friend's father committed suicide in the early morning hours of July 5th

A guy I met at the greenhouse died in an auto accident - not that summer but later that year (I think Spring 1968)

Two guys I knew well in H.S. died just after graduation. One: VW bug accident / other: tractor rolled over on him

Some have asked me about the $ 1 wage and minimum wage. This chart details that the minimum wage was $ 1.40 back then. Scroll right and the chart shows that the minimum wage for farm labor was $ 1.00. I was considered farm labor. In February 1968 I received a 15% raise to $ 1.15! The following Summer (1968) I started working at Monsanto Chemical and made as I recollect about $ 3.00 per hour.